The Curse
by DancingStar01
Summary: Lindsay believes she is cursed... Pairing: C/L, J/S


Title: The Curse  
>Author: Dancing Star<br>Crossover: PSI Factor / Sue Thomas FBEye  
>Pairing: Connor  Lindsay, Jack / Sue  
>Rating: 12<br>Category: AU, Romance, Humor  
>Content: Lindsay is convinced to be cursed...<br>Notes: Hope you had a nice Valentine's Day and even though this story was intended for Valentine's Day, it has a Christmas touch...

**The Curse**

Like many times before Lindsay met her younger half-brother in her favorite cafe. It was February, Toronto was still snow- covered and it was freezing cold sometimes. Valentine's Day was near and because his older half-sister had no date for a long time, Jack Hudson had decided to help her a little.  
>"In my office is a party next Friday. Want to come?", Jack asked, after he had sat down at her table and ordered a coffee. The waitress brought them cake and a sandwich, as always. Almost every week they came to this cafe and discussed the latest news about their jobs, their parents and other things.<br>"And get to know your colleagues?", Lindsay's brow furrowed, "No, what will they think of me?"  
>Jack didn´t understand what her problem was.<br>"Between all the suit-makers, I am completely out of place. I mean, look at me: I write mystery novels... And these are no bestsellers. "  
>"Is that really your problem?"<br>"You recently said that Greg Johnson is also working in your office... And we have visited the same school. He knows me because he has always made fun of me and stole my lunch- money... I'm embarrassed that I only write second-rate thriller."  
>"Never say that again, okay? Many people love your books ... And from a reliable source, I know that Greg Johnson is now heavily in debt."<br>"I'm not coming because I don´t wanna meet my past again."  
>"Is this the reason why you've recently bought a handbag for $ 600?"<br>"How do you know that?", Lindsay got up from her seat, but then she sat down again. Outside, a cyclist raced on the snowy sidewalk.  
>"I just know it...", Jack continued in a calm voice, "You're not a loser, Lindsay. Other people your age..."<br>"…Other people my age have a house, a family and a well-paid job."  
>Jack knew exactly what her problem was. His half sister was ashamed that she hadn´t achieved more life than a small apartment where she lived alone with her dog.<br>Jack put a twenty-dollar bill on the table and got up. "If you should change your mind, let me know until Wednesday," he said to his sister before he left the cafe.

In the evening Lindsay invited her best friend Sue to her apartment. As always, Sue brought her dog Levi. It was snowing again, as the two sat on the couch in Lindsay's apartment and talked about the present day. "Would you do me a favor?", Lindsay began after she had Sue served a cup of tea.  
>"Always."<br>"Will you accompany me and my brother to a party in his office?"  
>Sue took a moment until she understood. "Are we talking about your brother Jack?"<br>"Yes," Lindsay rolled her eyes, "I only have one brother."  
>Sue laughed, but then she became serious: ". No, that should have been a joke."<br>"Why not? A little birdie has twittered that you really like him..."  
>Sue felt caught. She brushed a strand of her blond hair from her face nervously. That she liked Lindsay's brother, was the truth: She had met him this year at Lindsay's birthday party and they had talked all evening long. He seemed to like Levi and when she told him she needed Levis help because she couldn´t hear he wasn´t worried at all. Instead, he asked all kinds of curious questions how she mastered the everyday. After the party he had even took her home so she hadn´t to take a taxi. They had said goodbye decently on their doorstep: Nothing more had happened between them. However, Lindsay knew because of Jack, that the two had met one time or another: Once they met by chance at the park, when Sue was walking with Levi. One week later they met by chance in a bakery again.<br>"You can´t leave me alone ...", Lindsay said now, "Everyone will think I'm a loser..."  
>"Is that why you bought a Louis Vuitton handbag?", Sue asked.<br>"How do you know?"  
>"It was obvious that you only want to specify with the bag..."<br>"Please come with me... I also need your help. You have to keep the men away from me."  
>Now Sue was curious. "Oh my God," she cried, "Is it because of this mysterious man from the elevator?", she asked, Lindsay nodded. One week ago, Lindsay had an appointment with her publisher and then she had gone back to the ground floor of the building with an elevator. She didn´t know what floor it was exactly, but a handsome man had entered the elevator. On the sixth floor of the elevator got stuck. She could still remember because the elevator suddenly lurched and the emergency lighting was activated. The elevator jerked again. This time so much that she and the man lost balance. They were thrown against the wall, Lindsay landed in his arms. And she also didn´t know if the magic of the moment was to blame or the fear of falling to death... Before she knew it, they were kissing. She wasn´t the least bit alarmed that the man kissed her back. He wrapped his arms around her and at that moment the elevator was worked. They separated from each other and the next minute Lindsay apologized and tried to explain herself somehow. "Never mind," the man said, grinning. The elevator reached the ground floor and the doors opened. "I´m Connor, by the way." He got off the elevator, but turned back to face her. When Lindsay arrived that night in her apartment, she told Sue immediately on the phone. This encounter was incredible. But she crept a bad feeling when Sue asked on the phone whether Lindsay knew something else about the attractive unknown, except his first name. Because Lindsay said no, she decided to go back into the building, where her publisher was located the next day. She asked the front desk if anyone named Connor worked in this high-rise building, but the receptionist didn´t know. So Lindsay waited. All day long. But Connor didn´t show up. She knew she had to see him again. But how? Sue had even suggested she could publish an ad in the newspaper, but Lindsay was embarrassed, so she had to keep her eyes and ears open.<br>"Yes," Lindsay confirmed, "It is because of the mysterious man from the lift. I would like to see him again."  
>"Do you know how many people live in Toronto?" , Sue asked.<br>"Of course I know that."  
>"Maybe he was just in town for a business meeting and you never see him again..."<br>"I know what you mean ...", internally Lindsay had to admit she didn´t want to hear that. She took a deep breath. "All right. I´ll stop looking for the mysterious elevator- man if you accompany me to the party of my brother."  
>"Deal."<p>

Sue picked up Lindsay next Friday for the party in Jacks office. She left Levi at home. When Lindsay was with her, it was no problem to deal in a hearing world.  
>The party was not a themed party. Nevertheless, they looked very nice: Lindsay wore a black, strapless dress, which made her blond hair shine. She waited alone at the table where they were sitting.<br>"Look at us," Sue began when she gave Lindsay a drink, which she had brought. Then she sat down, "We both stand out from the crowd like a sore thumb." They were the only women at the party who wore dresses. All the other women worked in this office and had come here after work, because they wore pants suits.  
>"I can´t believe that we really came here."<br>"And I can´t believe your brother has persuaded us to this...", Sue murmured, "Where is Jack anyway?" She hadn´t come together, but had arranged to meet here.  
>A smile flitted over Lindsay's face. "Nervous?"<br>"No, why should I?", Sue asked back then her face brightened. "There he is!" She stretched a little and waved. Jack talked to another man, apparently a colleague. He waved back then he invited his colleagues to come to the table.  
>"Hey, you two," he greeted her, then he grabbed Sue's hand, "This is Sue and Lindsay," he introduced them to his colleague. But Lindsay wasn´t thrilled. She didn´t pay tribute to the colleagues of her brother.<br>"This is my colleague Connor," Jack said and for a second Lindsay's heart skipped a beat.  
>"I think we already know," the voice said. Lindsay recognized him clearly and she couldn´t say more than a "hello". Jack then sat down next to Sue. So Connor had to take the vacant chair next to Lindsay. The men ordered drinks and talked about different things. Sue told Connor she had a dog named Levi and Connor stated he was also a dog owner. "Lindsay also owns a dog, right?", Sue added, looking at her friend expectantly. She had noticed Lindsay didn´t say a word throughout the evening and hardly dared to look into Connor's eyes.<br>"Yes, a bitch," she agreed then she grabbed the purse, which was on the table. She apologized for a moment and went to the ladies room. Sue took the opportunity and followed her. "What's wrong with you?", Sue wanted to know as soon as the door had closed behind them.  
>"That's him," Panic gripped Lindsay's voice, "The mysterious elevator- man."<br>"What? Are you sure?"  
>"Yes. My God, he must think that I... That I'm doing this all the time ..."<br>Sue rolled her eyes. "So far he hasn´t said something about it."  
>"What if he doesn´t recognize me?", Lindsay asked, "After all, the light was out in the elevator..."<br>That was a silly argument, because the light wasn´t out all the time.  
>"Remember what you always recommend to me in these situations," Sue said, "Carpe diem."<br>"What?"  
>"Tell him." With these words, Sue left the ladies' room. Lindsay stayed two minutes to calm down a little. Then she followed her best friend back to the table. Lindsay saw how Jack put his hand on Sues hand and she didn´t seem to mind. The evening was so going to develop into something unpleasant. Lindsay hated couple evenings because then she always felt like a fifth wheel as a single. It was almost like New Year's Eve at midnight. Mostly, Lindsay stayed at home alone on New Year's Eve and ate sushi.<br>Lindsay was almost glad when Jack suggested they could leave the party. They said goodbye to a few other colleagues on the way out and took their coats in the cloakroom.  
>It was a chilly, but starry night, when they left the office building. "Can I take you home?", Jack suggested, "My car is still in the garage. So you don´t have to take a taxi... "<br>"Oh, I don´t know. I shared a car with Lindsay."  
>"That's all right," Lindsay reassured her, Sue gave her a hug and whispered a quiet "thank you" in her ear then she and Jack left.<br>Connor and Lindsay stayed back alone on the sidewalk. "Well, then this is probably the moment of awkward silence, eh?", he finally said, and laughed. Lindsay was glad he said something.  
>"What about you? Is your car in the garage, too?"<br>"No. My driver left one minute ago. "  
>Lindsay understood: Connor and Jack came here in the same car.<br>"I can take you home if you want...", Lindsay offered to him.  
>"I can take a taxi, thank you."<br>"No, I'll take you home. I would really like to do..."  
>Connor decided to give in. So they walked in moderate pace to the garage. The temperature seemed to fall.<br>"Listen, what has happened in the elevator...", Lindsay began nervously.  
>"No, you don´t have to apologize again. You've already done. "<br>"Yes, but I wanted you to know I don´t always do such a thing. That was the first time I have kissed a stranger."  
>"Yes, I felt the same way. You haven´t told me what your name is. Searching for was difficult."<br>"You were looking for me?", she was actually surprised, "I also wanted to see you again," she confessed, "I was looking after you, too. The next day I went into the building and asked for you at the front desk, but no one knew you. Then I waited. All day long until closing time. You didn´t show up ... I didn´t know you're a friend of my brother"  
>"No one ever did this for me…."<br>"But there's something you should know about me... And that's why I think it´s better if we just stay friends: You'd better stay away from me because I'm cursed."  
>"What?", Connor chuckled.<br>"Jack didn´t tell you, am I right?"  
>"What do you mean?"<br>"I'm cursed. Whenever I like someone, something terrible happens."  
>"You mean you wanted to see me again just to tell me that I should stay away from you because you believe to be cursed?", Connor wasn´t sure if she was serious.<br>Lindsay could see that Connor was now curious. "Give me an example."  
>"My first fiancé left me two weeks before the wedding..."<br>"Something like this can happen…," Connor interrupted.  
>"On the same day the ship on which he wanted to leave, sunk and he didn´t survive. We wanted to get married at Niagara Falls... My second fiancé was killed three months before the wedding: A car accident in winter. He has lost control of the car."<br>"This is tragic, I admit."  
>"So it would be good if we can stay friends. I don´t want to go through it again... But I really wanted to see you again." They reached the parking garage and so Lindsay's car. She took Connor home. Lindsay found out he lived in a high rise building with doorman.<br>"What do you think of pizza and pasta?", he asked before getting out of the car.  
>"It´s perfect," she answered.<br>"Good, then I shall take you out to dinner tomorrow?... As a thank you, because you took me home today."  
>"This is not a good idea..."<br>"We're just friends, remember? And friends can go out together for dinner, or is that also forbidden?"

Of course it was not and for this reason Lindsay tried to reach Sue, as soon as she arrived in her apartment. Sue took longer than usual to come to the phone.  
>"Where have you been?" , Lindsay wanted to know.<br>"Your brother took me home," replied her friend, "What about you and Connor?"  
>"He invited me to dinner for tomorrow."<br>"And? This is what you wanted. "  
>That was true, Lindsay thought. But Sue had forgotten the curse. Sue was her best friend and, as such, of course, she was present at all the failed marriages to comfort her afterwards.<br>And Lindsay didn´t plan to have to go through this again.

The next day was like a disaster for Lindsay: While she tried to convince herself that she and Connor were just friends, she was more excited, the nearer their date came. She was so nervous she couldn´t write a sentence of her new book although the deadline was approaching.  
>In the evening she caught herself as she stood helplessly in front of her wardrobe, looking for the perfect outfit for her date. Then she told herself it wasn´t a real date, but just a dinner among friends and she therefore hadn´t to wear special clothes. So she chose a jeans and a red blouse.<br>Connor picked her up on time at home and complimented her how beautiful she looked tonight. Lindsay would have preferred if he hadn´t done that.  
>How Connor had suggested they had dinner at an Italian restaurant, then Connor led her to the park. There was an ice rink in the winter, which was now lit by many lights in the darkness. "What are you doing?", she asked skeptically.<br>"We borrow skates," Connor answered and borrowed two pair of skates at the man at the counter, "You can skate, right?"  
>"You think, just because we are Canadians, we are world champions in ice skating?", Lindsay watched as he nodded, then rolled her eyes, "Of course I can."<br>They put on the skates and went out onto the ice rink. Because Lindsay felt a little bit unsure she had to grab his hand. They put back one lap after the other, until they eventually completely clung breathlessly on the rail and watched the other ice skating people. They drank a hot coffee in Lindsay's favorite cafe then Connor took her back to her apartment.  
>"That was a very nice evening," he said as he brought his car to a stop in front of the apartment building, "What are you doing next weekend?"<br>"My parents invited the family for skiing in the mountains. Why do you ask?"  
>"I thought we could go out together."<br>"We have already talked about this," Lindsay reminded him, "I´m cursed. You should stay away from me."  
>"I'm willing not believe in curses this time," Connor said and leaned over to kiss her. The kiss was magical. Almost exactly as in the elevator. Lindsay was enjoying the moment and actually she wanted to push him away, but she couldn´t. If she´d admit that this became more then they both were lost. Connor perhaps more than herself and it would kill her to lose him because she liked him very much.<br>"I can´t..." she said and got out, "I think it's better if we never meet again." She hit the car door behind her and ran without looking back to the house, which housed her apartment.

_Say something, I'm giving up on you. _  
><em>I'll be the one, if you want me to. <em>  
><em>Anywhere, I would've followed you. <em>  
><em>Say something, I'm giving up on you. <em>

_And I am feeling so small. _  
><em>It was over my head <em>  
><em>I know nothing at all <em>  
><em>And I will stumble and fall. <em>  
><em>I'm still learning to love <em>  
><em>Just starting to crawl. <em>

_Say something, I'm giving up on you. _  
><em>I'm sorry did I could not get to you. <em>  
><em>Anywhere, I would've Followed you. <em>  
><em>Say something, I'm giving up on you.<em> ("Say Something" by A great big world)

The week passed by painfully slow and Lindsay still had no good idea for her next detective novel. Finally, it was time to pack for the ski weekend with her mother and stepfather. Like every year in February, the two had rented a large house in the mountains. As far as Lindsay knew her parents were already in the house and her brother had started last night. Because Lindsay still had an appointment with her publisher last evening, she was able to leave town today. The journey was long and up here in the mountains the roads were still snow-covered than in the city.  
>The house was very nice. For years, her parents rented the same house for their ski weekend. The wooden house had two floors and Lindsay thought it was the perfect setting for a romantic movie. The problem was that the Christmas decorations hadn't been removed yet: At the front door hung a pine wreath, a mistletoe was still hanging on the door to the living room and the windows were decorated festively. Lindsay was glad that at least the Christmas tree had been removed and had found its way into the fireplace.<br>Lindsay met her brother on the ground floor of the house. "Hello, sister," he greeted her. He hadn´t seen her for one week. Lindsay didn´t even come to their weekly meeting at their favorite cafe. And Jack had an idea what the reason was: His colleague Connor was not usually the guy who told others about his private life, but he told him in brief what had happened at their last date.  
>"What you did to Connor was pretty bad," Jack muttered, Lindsay was shocked because he knew about it at all. "I know everything," her brother whispered, "I'm like Santa Claus."<br>She heard a voice and a dog barking. Lindsay knew the voice.  
>"Is that Sue?", she wanted to know.<br>"I invited her. Is that a problem for you?"  
>"No," Lindsay shook her head, "She's my best friend, you know that." But then she couldn´t help but to give him an important note: "Don´t hurt her, do you hear? I like her very much and she doesn´t deserve a broken heart."<br>"I would never do this," Jack replied, "But you don´t deserve that, too. A broken heart, I mean... That's why I also invited Connor."  
>Lindsay was horrified. "You what?"<br>"I invited Connor," Jack left her alone in front of the wide staircase to the first floor, "He unpacks his luggage."

She found Connor upstairs of the house where he unpacked his suitcase in the guest room. Lindsay remained standing in the doorway and watched him for a while. Finally, she greeted him with a simple "hello". Connor turned to her and returned the greeting.  
>"What are you doing here?"<br>"Your brother has invited me, but I also want to talk to you, what else?" Connor grabbed a sweater, which was in his suitcase. (Of course, Connor had also brought a hat, thick gloves, snow boots and a scarf. But Jack had told him they would only travel to the mountains of Canada, not to the North Pole.)  
>"I'm sure Jack has invited me out of pity."<br>Lindsay knew immediately what he was getting. "Listen, it wasn´t my intention..."  
>"I see," Connor interrupted.<br>"I'm just trying to protect you from... Well, I guess you know what happened to my other two fiancés."  
>Sue called up to them whether they wanted to come up with for skiing. Finally, this was the reason why they actually came here.<p>

The ski slope was about a mile away from the house and they used their father's snowmobile to get there. Lindsay thought they should to go by car, because they were too many people, but her dad had a surprise for her and so he proudly opened the garage door. "These are two Snowmobiles" she said.  
>"Yes, you´re right," Chad Hudson laughed, "I bought the second one last year for Christmas." With these two snowmobiles they drove to the ski slope. Jack and Lindsay's parents had decided to stay with Levi in the house.<br>At the lift they showed the passes that Chad had arranged in advance for the whole group and they took the lift to the summit of the mountain. Because Sue and Jack wanted to ride together in an elevator, Connor and Lindsay had to share another gondola. During the trip, the two didn´t talk a single word. "You should have shared the gondola with someone else," Connor remarked suddenly.  
>"I really should have done this." And then there was silence again.<br>The journey to the summit had never taken so long, although Lindsay came to this place for years and the route of the lift hadn´t changed. They got out on top of the mountain and watched as Sue and Jack together again drove down the slope.  
>Lindsay envied her friend almost a little. She had found someone she really liked. At this moment, Lindsay wanted nothing more than she could get rid of this curse.<p>

In the evening, Lindsay's legs ached from skiing. Although she had managed during their stay on the ski slopes to slide down the mountain only twice, it was a great effort.  
>Her mother had prepared a meal, when they arrived at home in the evening. Lindsay's mother cooked the food. Her stepfather Chad was indeed wealthy, but Lindsay's mom insisted she didn´t need a cook.<br>"That looks really good, Mom," Jack assured his mother, as they sat at the large dining table in the living room. His mother had cooked chicken with all sorts of vegetables and side dishes.  
>Sue sat next to Jack and Levi lay on the ground behind them. They chatted about their day on the slopes while eating. But sometime Chad Hudson asked his stepdaughter if something was wrong. Because they sat side by side, Chad didn´t had to talk loud. And the others didn´t notice. "It's all right, Dad," Lindsay promised him.<br>"Well, I'll start to get worried. You haven´said much today."  
>"Can you keep a secret?", she asked, leaning a little closer to her father, "It's up to Connor."<br>"I see," Chad nodded knowingly. He thought he had realized what her problem was. So he suggested they could drink a glass of red wine after dinner. Jack was enthusiastic and suggested he might show Sue the small wine cellar under the house. Even Sue agreed, and so they set out together.  
>"I help you, Mom," Lindsay was going to help her mother in collecting the used dishes on the dining table. She was carrying just a pile of plates in the kitchen when she saw that Jack and Sue were stopped on the threshold of the living room and kissed under the mistletoe. Lindsay shook her head. "Mom, we eventually need to clean up the Christmas decorations."<br>"No, it currently fits so beautiful to the snow," her mother objected. They were busy with cleaning up until Jack and Sue returned from the cellar with a bottle of red wine. Lindsay didn´t miss how happy her friend looked like. Chad opened the bottle of wine and poured all of it. "Excuse me," Lindsay asked as soon as she held her glass of wine in her hands, "I need to catch some air." She took the blue down jacket, which she had already worn while skiing today and went outside.  
>Behind the house there was a very nice terrace and she sat down on one of the garden furniture, which wasn´t covered by snow. The night was starry and freezing cold. She wondered how long she could stay on the terrace well until her wine was frozen. She liked those nights in the mountains of Canada, when it was so quiet that she could even hear how the snow fell from the sky.<br>It took about ten minutes until she heard the patio door opened again. Footsteps approached. It made the snow crunching. Then she felt like someone sat down on furniture next to her. "I had expected it wouldn´t take as long for you to come," she said to Connor. He also wore his down jacket, still holding his wine glass in his hand.  
>"Absence makes the heart grow funder," he replied.<br>"Do you have more such great sayings?"  
>"All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players."<br>"You've read Shakespeare. I'm impressed. "  
>"Fortunately," he laughed a little, "When I read it, my classmates thought I´m a loser."<br>"Then you are not alone," she admitted, "During school time, I wasn´t popular, too. One of my former classmates is working in the same company as you do. That was the reason why I really didn´t want to come to the party in your office."  
>They were silent for a while and Connor turned the wine glass in his hands. "Your brother told me you write crime novels and I think I've even read one or the other book you wrote... Lindsay Donner, the big star writer. "<br>"You're making fun of me."  
>"No," Connor watched as a shooting star passed by in the sky, "I think your books are really good."<br>Lindsay thought for a while. Then she decided to take the compliment seriously and even thanked. "If that is so, then you're lucky with your room. It´s also my mother's favorite room, "she explained, "There is a bookshelf in your room where are all my published books are stored."  
>"I thought the house is only rented...", Connor thought it was odd.<br>"No, it's not. My stepfather tells this, so he doesn´t have to bring his friends and work colleagues here. He tells them, the house has only one bedroom and a tiny bathroom."  
>"I see... We should talk about the curse again."<br>Lindsay rolled her eyes as she heard this.  
>"Have you ever thought that you could bypass the curse?", He asked and she hadn´t even the chance to answer, "Apparently the curse- in case it really exists- only reveals its power if you want to get married. The solution is that you don´t get married but find the love of your life and you stay together without being married."<br>"I don´t know if I want to risk a test trial", Lindsay murmured honestly.  
>Connor noticed that the wine in Lindsay glass had already formed a thin layer of ice. "Let's go inside," he suggested, "You have no gloves on and I do neither. Inside the house it´s much warmer than out here." He was glad when she agreed.<br>After they had entered the house, they found out that the living room was deserted. In the kitchen, light was still on and she heard voices. Her mom told Sue that the family had always used to spend Christmas in this house. Sue laughed.  
>Only a fire in the fireplace lit up the living room. Connor took the wine glass from Lindsay and set it on the table. Then he helped her out of her jacket.<br>"We should go into the kitchen," she suggested. She felt Connor's hand at her waist, and when she wanted to leave the living room she felt his hand on her arm. He held her back for a moment, pulled her to him and kissed her on the doorstep under the mistletoe. Lindsay had intended to push him away, but she wasn´t able to do so. Instead, she deepened the kiss even more, wrapping her arms around his neck. They kissed until they couldn´t breathe anymore. "I'm sure my parents didn´t see us," she said breathlessly, "You still need to do a lot of convincing work."  
>Connor smiled. "All right." He grabbed her hands and both crept so quietly as possible up the stairs.<p>

Lindsay was left in bed the next morning while Connor took a shower. She had been thinking in the last minute about this test phase, of which he had spoken yesterday. Of course it was nice to hear from him that he loved her and that he couldn´t live without her, but they had survived only one night and she liked him too much, as she could risk losing him.  
>So she got up, searched for her clothes on the ground, got dressed and wrote a note for Connor. Then she went to her own room, packed her bags and made her way to her car. She had just thrown the bag in the trunk, when a voice called out to her.<br>It was Connor. Lindsay knew it was childish, but she hastened to come behind the steering wheel and drive off. But he was faster and before she could get in, he took her car keys. "Where are you going?", he asked.  
>"I ... I... I have another appointment in the city today and... "<br>"Today is Sunday. Nobody has appointments today." He had seen through her, but it wasn´t his way to force her to something she might not want to. "Get in, I'll take you home," he suggested. Lindsay sat on the passenger seat.  
>Connor sat in the car and the vehicle stared to move. "I'm sorry," she apologized, "But I love you too much, as that I want to try and see if you survive without getting married to me... I hope you understand."<br>Then Connor said nothing. Two seconds later the rear of the car broke off to the left. Suddenly, Connor lost control of the vehicle and the black Jepp got dangerous skidding. Lindsay screamed and clung to the door. The snow-covered landscape moved past them. But then the tires had traction, the car stopped and Connor turned off the engine. "Thank God we're still alive."  
>The house of her parents was still in sight. Just as the wall with which they almost would have collided. Lindsay brushed a strand of hair from her face and got out. She wanted to see if the car was damaged. Even as she got out, she heard the worried voices of her parents and of Sue and Jack. Levi even barked.<br>Finally, her parents had reached the stranded vehicle. "Is everything all right?", Lindsay's mom wanted to know.  
>"Yes, we're fine. It's just... For a second I thought the curse strikes again, "she explained. After her second failed marriage, she had told her parents the theory she was cursed. Both had been listening intently, even though Lindsay had rather expected they would laugh.<br>Tears were now in Lindsay's eyes. "It's because..."  
>"We know you love Connor," her mother said and hugged Lindsay, "After two gone awry weddings I have a radar for it." Ann Hudson looked at her husband, "And now, your stepfather and I need to tell you something." Ann pushed her daughter away from her. She left it to Connor to put an arm around Lindsay.<br>"Chad is my third husband ..."  
>"But ...", she sniffed tearfully, "I thought, after Dad died, he is only your second husband."<br>"My first fiancé left me twenty minutes before the wedding and on the way to his car he was hit by another car. Your father, my second husband, died of a stroke after we were married two wonderful years and have got a beautiful baby: you, " Ann told and of course Lindsay knew that," But Chad and I are already happy for 30 years. You know what that means."  
>In fact, Ann's words Lindsay made her think.<br>"Give Connor a chance."  
>Lindsay nodded cautiously. She looked at Connor, "If you still want me."<br>"Yes."

_My heart would break without you _  
><em>Might not awake without you <em>  
><em>Been hurting low, from living high for so long <em>  
><em>I'm sorry, and I love you <em>  
><em>Stay with me, "Bell Bottom Blue" <em>  
><em>I'll keep on searching for an answer cause I need you more than dope <em>  
><em>I need you more than dope <em>  
><em>Need you more than dope<em> ("Dope" by Lady Gaga)

30 years later, Connor and Lindsay told her daughter after her second wedding had burst, that she would find the love of her life only at the third try ...

Fin


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